Cartridge-belt.



uh. 643,495. Patented Feb. l3, I900. E. T. mason.

CARTRIDGE BELT.

(Apphcatmn filed June 22 1899) 2 Sheets-Sheet I,

(No Model.)

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No. 643,495. Patented Feb. I3, 1900. E. T. GIBSON.

CARTRIDGE BELT.

(Application filed June 22, 1899. (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT wmcs.

EDWARD T. GIBSON, OF FORT YATES, NORTH DAKOTA ARTRIDGE BELT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,495, dated.February 13, 1906.

Application filed June 22, 1899.

T0 on whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD T. GIBSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fort Yates, State of North Dakota, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Cartridge- Belts, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of my invention is to provide the belt with means for.retaining the cartridge in its cartridge-holder tube,and thereby doaway with the annoyance and loss to which the wearer of an unimprovedbelt is subjected; and the invention consists in certain novelconstructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a horizontal section showing a bar forholding the belt-band in comparatively short, straight, and rigidsections. Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate one form of my covering device. Figs.4 and 5 are perspective views illustrating a different form. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of a holder for application to belts already in use.Fig. 7is a sectional side view, and Fig.8 a perspective View, of theholder shown in Fig. 6 as in use. Figs. 9 and 10 are respectively frontand rear perspective views of such holder in use with the cover-flapraised. Fig. 11 is a sectional view showing the improved form ofcartridge in place. Fig. 12 is a horizontal section on about line y y ofFig. 10, and Fig. 13 is a detail view showing a somewhat-different meansfor holding the cover flat.

The cartridge-belt now in use in the United States Army and the one towhich this improvement has particular reference consists of a wovenbelt-band A, provided on its outer surface with tubes B, into whichcartridges may be inserted. These tubes are formed on the outer surfaceof the belt-band A, so as to extend from within a short distance of theupper margin A of the beltdoand and at a right angle with this uppermargin across the outer surface of the belt-band to within a shortdistance of the lower margin A The cartridges are inserted into thesetubes from above downward and are extracted by lifting them upward outof the tubes. The rim on the cap end of the cartridge prevents itspassing into a tube beyond'this point. (See Fig. 11.) These tubes B arearranged on the outer sur- Serial No. 721,510. (No model.)

face of the belt-band as near together as possible and are sufficientinnumber to admit of carrying fifty cartridges if but a single row oftubes is provided, as is the case with some of the cartridge belts ofthis description which are used by soldiers; but the carrying capacityof this style of belt has been doubled by the addition of a second rowof tubes formed by attaching to the outermost long diameter of the outersurface of each of the tubes B the innermost long diameter of the outersurface of an additional tube B. When cartridge-belts of thisdescription are new, it takes considerable pressure with the fingers toinsert cartridges into these said tubes, (which are of webbing,) andconsequently the tubes retain the cartridges fairlywell; but in acomparatively-short time the tubes become dilated by the frequentinsertion and removal of cartridges and no longer hold them securely,and the approach of this said time when the tubes no longer holdcartridges securely has been greatly hastened by the adoption of the newstyle of cartridge, which presents only half the length of surface (seeFig. 11) to the clutch of the inner surface of its supporting-tube thatwas presented by the previous style of cartridge; and as cartridge-beltsof the kind I have described are already in the hands of soldiers, indevising my improvement I have striven to make its construction such aswould admit of its being manufactured separate from the cartridge-belt,and thereby avoid the necessity of having to have all thecartridge-belts which are now in the handslof soldiers thrown away orelse turned in to designated centers, where the improvement could beattached to them by skilled hands or by machinery. I succeed inaccomplishing this very important thing by forming my improvementcomprising a wire frame, Fig. 6, which can be shipped and issued directto the soldier and he himself attach it to his cartridge-belt in asimple, yet eifectual, way, which avoids the necessity for anyinstruments, ingenuity, or special efiort, all of which will behereinafter fully described and explained.

In designing means for retaining cartridges in the tubes B and B of thecartridge-belt herein described it should be remembered that the beltmust sometimes lie flat, as when be bent at all.

packed for transportation, must sometimes be curved into an almost roundring, as when buckled around the body, and sometimes, as when suspendeddiagonally across the body from one shoulder, must form an ellipse. Ifthe beltband A be bent sharply, it will cause the end cartridge-tubes ofa group, if unconfined, to depart from beneath a cover fitted to overliesuch group, and it will be seen that if cartridges are to be preventedfrom working out of the tubes B and B by placing above the upperextremities of these tubes the flat surface of a piece of leather,cloth, or metal, and this said flat piece is solid and is not composedof segments which are pivoted to each other, so as to admit of the piecebeing curved on its edge, means must be provided which render itimpossible for any bending to take place in that portion of thebelt-band to which is attached a group of tubes whose upper extremitiesare covered by the same flat covering-piece. \Vhen there are nocartridges in the tubes, the belt-band A can of course be flexible atany point in its length; but when there are cartridges in the tubes allportions of the length of the belt-band that are holding cartridges mustbe rendered comparatively straight and rigid. If the belt-band wererigid from one end to the other, it could not If its two halves wererendered separately rigid, it could only be bent to a V shape; but, ashas been heretofore stated, the cartridge-belt must sometimes lie flat,must sometimes be buckled around the waist of its wearer, and sometimesmust hang diagonally across his body from his shoulders. Therefore itfollows that the divisions of the length of the belt-band A, which whenholding cartridges are rendered comparatively straight and rigid, mustnot be of such lengths as would prevent the loaded cartridge-belt fromadapting itself fairly well to whatever portion of the wearers body itis worn upon.

In my opinion the mostsuitable length for each of the comparativelystraight and rigid subdivisions into which the improved cartridge-beltshould be divided is three inches. This length of belt-band supportsfive cartridge-holding tubes if they are in a single row and ten if theyare in double rows.

A portion of a cartridge-belt divided into sections D, which becomecomparatively straight and rigid when the tubes B and B are occupiedbycartridges, but which sections are flexible on one another, is shownin Figs. 1 and 4. The object in rendering these sections D comparativelyinflexible is, as was hereinbefore set forth, to prevent the tubes B andB from escaping from underneath any covering-piece placed over theirupper extremities. Now this object can be obtained by stitching theadjoining edges of the upper extremities of the tubes together, as isindicated by E in Fig.1, or, as is indicated in the samefigure,byattaching (detachably or indetachabl y) one extremity F of aband F, of leather, cloth, or metal, (according to which is esteemed themost suitable,) to the outer surface of the belt-band A at one side ofthe group of tubes B and B which it is desired to fasten, so that theycannot escape from underneath the piece which may be provided to coverthem, and carrying it around the group of tubes attach the otherextremity F (detachably or indetachably) to the outer surface of thebeltband at the other side of the said group of tubes, thereby confiningthe said group of tubes between the inner surface of the band F and theouter surface of the belt-band A, that lies between the extremities Fand F of the band F, or, as indicated by the dotted line a: in Fig. 1,the tubes can be held bunched together by passing a cord (as I aminclined to think I shall do in suitable cases) or a'wire rod throughthe webbing between each tubein the inner row B and its mate in theouter row B; but (unless the said wire rod is used) while the group oftubes will be held by the band F comparatively straight and rigid aslong as the said tubes are occupied by cartridges, the removal of asingle cartridge from the inner row would put an end to this rigidity.To provide for this removal of cartridges and insure the rigidity of thebelt-band section, it is necessary that a straight and rigid metal bar Ube attached to the back of this beltband section. (See Fig. l.)Havingthus provided for retaining the tubes in groups, which groups orsections of the cartridge-belt Will be kept covered regardless of themany flexions to which the belt may be subjected, it now becomesnecessary to take up the matter of a cover for each of these groups orsections D. This cover can be formed as shown in Fig. 2, in which theabove-described strip or its equivalent is provided at each extremitywith an upright extension 0 and C of leather or cloth, the width of eachof these extensions being a little more than that of one tube 13 if buta single row of tubes is to he covered or of two tubes B and B if tworows are to be covered and of a length sufficient to admit of theextension C being lapped over upon extension O, as is shown in Fig. 3,and the two fastened together by means of a fastener G, or, ifpreferred, the said cover can be formed, as shown in Fig. 4, byattaching one side of a piece C of leather or cloth to the upper bor derA of the belt-band A between the attached extremities F and F of thestrip F and forming it of sufiicient width to admit of its being securedby means of the fasteners G to the strip F, when, as is shown in Fig. 5,it is brought down over the top of the group of tubes as a cover.

Having thus explained the features of my invention, I will now proceedto particularly describe the means I have invented to admit of myimprovement being applied to cartridge-belts by their individualpossessors without necessitating the use of instruments, ingenuity, orspecial effort, and thereby rendering it unnecessary thatcartridge-belts be shipped to arsenals or other designated points orpersons in order to be provided with my improvement. This special deviceis shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, in which (see Fig. 6) froma strip of wire is made a vertical rod H, which at its upper extremityis turned directly backward and then a short distance downward to formon the upper end of the said rod a hook I. The object of this hook I isto admit of the upper extremity of the rod 11 being detachably attachedto the belt-bands A of the cartridge-belt by passing this said hook overthe upper margin A of the belt-band, as is shown in Figs. 7, S, 9, l0,and 11. At a distance from the top of the said vertical rod which whenthe said rod is suspended by its hook I from the upper margin A of thebelt-band A of the cartridgebelt will bring (see Fig. 11) the lowerextremity of the said rod H slightly below the horizontal plane on whichwould be the upper margin of the contracted portion of a gun cartridgeJ, if it were inserted from above downward into one of thecartridge-holder tubes B as far as possible, the lower extremity of thesaid vertical rod H terminates, and thebeen described, will bring (seeK, Figs. 7 and 12) the anterior extremity of the said bar K to withinthe recess or angle L, Fig. 13, which in a cartridge belt of the kindherein described exists between a cartridge-holder tube of the innerrowB and its mate B of the outer row. The wire from which the hori-'zontal bar K is formed is nowturned directly upward at a right angle tothe bar K and parallel with the vertical rod H to form a vertical rod Mof a height which will not bring its upper extremity above the level ofthe upper extremities of the cartridge-holder tubes B and B when thewire device is attached to the cartridge-belt. The wire from which therod M is formed is now bent directly forward and downward to form aVertical rod N, which stands. directly in front of and parallel with thevertical rod M. The facing surfaces of the two said rods N and M areseparated sufficient-ly far apart to admit of the right-hand extremityof a band of leather or cloth f beingsecured to the said rod N'by beingwrapped around it and attached to itself by rivets or sewing-threads.This encircling of a rod of wire by a band of leather creates a rollwhich While small in itself is yet of too great a diameter to admit ofthe belt-band of a loaded cartridge-belt being sufficiently straightenedout if two such rolls stand side by side (as they will stand when myimprovement is applied to a cartridge-belt of the kind herein describedby providing the said belt with a number of these separate devices)between the abutting surfaces of two cartridge-holder face of thebelt-band A. When I hereinafter set forth the object of the said band f,the student of this invention would not fail to wonder whyI do notattach the said extremity of the band f directly to the vertical rod Hinstead of to a vertical rod N, carried by the horizontal bar K to theangle or recess L, if I did not make this explanation, and at this pointin the specification it is well for me to explain that it is because ofthe abutment of the adjoining surfaces of the inner row ofcartridge-holder tubes when loaded that I take advantage of the spacewhich is occasioned below the lower third of a cartridge-holder tube bythe fact (as was hereinbefore set forth and as is shown by Fig. 11) thatthe diameter of the lower third of agnncartridge is much less than thatof its upper two-thirds for the location of the described horizontal barK, by which the said vertical rod N is attached to the vertical rod H.The said student may form the opinion that as this space admits of thepassage of the bar K the said bar might be dispensed with and the saidstrap f be attached below this point directly to a downward continuationof the vertical rod H. So it might; but as the band 7 would then only beapplied to the lower extremities of the gun-cartridges it would cause aspreading apart of the upper extremities of the cartridges.

To cartridge-belts which have not been issued or which can be dispensedwith sufficiently long to admit of their being sent to a shop having therequisite facilities I shall apply my improvement indetachably to thebelt through the agency of means.which will be described after thecompletion of my description of this detachable wire device.

Having carefullyset forth the reasons which operate to make it necessarythat in the detachable device the right-hand extremity of the bandfbeattached to a vertical rod N, I will now go on to say that the wire fromwhich this said rod N is formed is at a point slightly below that of thej unction of the vertical rod M with the horizontal bar K bent directlybackward to form a horizontal bar P at a right angle to the vertical rodN and so as to extend parallel with and directly underneath thehorizontal bar K. The distal extremity of the horizontal bar Pterminates at a point which is directly underneath the point of junctionof the horizontal bar K with the vertical rod H, and the wire from whichit is formed is turned directly downward to form a vertical rod Q at aright angle with the horizontal bar P and in line with the vertical rodH in order that it may abut against the outer surface of the belt-band A(see Fig. 7) when the vertical rod H abuts against the same surface. Atthe lower extremity of the vertical rod Q the wire from which it is madeis turned directly backward and then a short distance upward to form onthe lower end of the said rod a hook S, which is passed over the lowermargin A of the belt-band of the cartridge-belt when the wire device isattached in position on the belt. The back of the hook S terminates in aring-shaped extremity T. Instead of the described beak of the hook I atthe upper extremity of the described vertical rod H terminating in aring-shaped extremity, the wire from which it is made is bent directlyto the left hand, so as to form a rod U, which, while lying at a rightangle to the hook I, also lies at a right angle with the horizontal barsK and P. At the left-hand extremity of this rod U the wire from which itis made is bent directly upward to form the beak of a hook I, and fromthis point is bent to form the rod H, horizontal bar K, vertical rod M,vertical rod N, horizontal rod P,vertical rod Q, and hook S, withterminal T, all of which parts form the lefthand side of the device andare exactly the same as the similar parts which form the righthand sideof the device and which have been carefully described, the onlydifierence being that while to vertical rod N in the righthand side ofthe device is attached the righthand extremity of a leather or clothbandf the left-hand extremity of this said band f is attached to thevertical rod N in the left-hand side of the device.

The device is placed in position on the beltband of a cartridge-belt bypassing from above downward the hook I along the outer surface of thebelt-band and at the right side of the group of cartridge-holder tubesthat are to be inclosed within the device until the hook S can becarried under the lower margin A of the belt-band and then upward intoits position and by similarly passing the hook I downward along theouter surface of the beltband and at the left side of the group ofcartridge-holder tubes that are to be inclosed within the device untilthe hook S can be carried under the lower margin A of the beltband andthen upward into its position. The lower margin A of the belt-band Abeing now in the grasp of the hooks S and S, the upper margin A of thebelt is slipped under the hooks I and I. \Vhen the device is in positionon the cartridge-belt, (see Fig. 9,) the cartridge-holder tubes B and Bare inclosed be tween the belt-band and the inner surface of the bandf,and from the foregoing description of my detachable device it will beobserved that it is through the agency of this bandfand the horizontalbars K Pand K P that I render the section of the belt-band lying betweenthe vertical rods I and I comparatively straight and rigid when all ofits cartridge-holder tubes are occupied by cartridges and which isabsolutely necessary when the group of tubes is to be kept under thesame covering-piece; but, as was also explained, the band f andhorizontal bars K P and K P are not of themselves suflicient to maintainthe required rigidity of the band section when one or more of thecartridge-holder tubes in the inner row is not 00- cupied by acartridge. To maintain this required rigidity, the belt-band section hasto be held rigid by an attached straight bar of metal, as was explainedand is indicated by U in Fig. 1, and in my detachable device thisrequired rigid bar is provided in the described bar U, which unites thebeaks of the two described hooks I and I. (See Figs. 6 and 10.) To thisbar U is attached one extremity of a piece of leather or cloth V, whichis properly shaped to completely cover the upper extremities of thecartridge holder tubes when brought down over them,as shown in Fig. 8,and is provided with a suitable looking device G to engage with acompanion G on the band f.

Having completed the description of my wire device by means of which myimprovement can be detachably attached to cartridgebelts of the kindherein described, I will now proceed to explain how I intend to apply myimprovement to cartridge-belts which have not been issued to thesoldiers or which can be dispensed with sufficiently long to admit oftheir being sent to a shop having the requisite facilities for formingmy improvement indetachably on the belts. Figs. 4, 5, and 13 show thisvery clearly. In the said figures, A is the belt-band of thecartridge-belt. The cartridge-holder tubes B and B are separated intogroups by the stout cloth bandsF, which are attached by their right-handextremities F directly to the outer surface of the beltband at theright-hand side of each group of cartridge-holder tubes and by theirleft-hand extremities F directly to the outer surface of the belt-bandat the left-hand side of the said groups for the purpose which has beenhereinbefore fully explained. These said bands F are not formed inseparate pieces, but are formed from a continuous ribbon which at theproper intervals in its length for forming the said bands F is securelyattached to the outer surface of the belt-band by means of a wire stapleW or its equivalent, which is passed vertically through the substance ofthe said ribbon and belt-band, and its extremities \V (see Fig. 13) areturned over and clenched on the back of the belt-baud. As I am enabledto use a continuous ribbon when I am not subjected to the necessity ofapplying my improvement to cartridge-belts through the agency ofseparate bands F, formed on separate frameworks which admit of beingdetachably attached side by side to a belt, the angle or recess 0 (seeFig. 12) is of sufficient size to admit of my attaching the extremitiesof the said bands F directly to the belt through the agency of thestaple WV or its equivalent, and though this arrangement occasions theinterposition of the thickness of two bands F between the abuttingsurfaces of two cartridges in the inner row,

yet as I use cloth for this said ribbon instead of leather thisinterposition does not seriously interfere with the straightening out ofthe loaded cartridge-belt. This band F, as has been stated, is appliedto the outer surface of the group of cartridge-holder tubes to preventtheir being deflected beyond the limits of the margins of thecovering-piece placed over them, and to prevent this deflection when thegroup of tubes is only partially loaded with cartridges I apply to theupper border of the back of the belt-band (see Fig. 13) a rigid metalbar U or its equivalent, which extends parallel with the upper margin ofthe belt and from near one staple WV to near the other. This said bar Uis made in the form of a staple, and it is fastened to the beltband bypassing its extremities U (see Fig. 4E) longitudinally through thesubstance of the belt band and clenching them on the front surface ofthe belt-band. Advantage is taken of the fastening of this said bar U tothe upper margin of the belt-band to at the same time fasten by means ofit one extremity of a cloth or leather covering-piece O to the uppermargin of the belt. This covering-piece O can be brought forward anddownward over the group of cartridge-holder tubes, as shown in Fig. 5,and secured to the band F by suitable fastening devices G.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. A belt provided on its outer side withcartridge-tubes and with bands extending in the direction of length ofthe belt and held at their ends in such relation to the belt as todivide the cartridge-tubes into groups, and a cover or flap for eachgroup substantially as set forth.

2. A cartridge-retaining device for cartridge-belts consisting of aframe provided at its upper and lower edges with hooks for engaging thecorresponding edges of the beltband, having means for holding a seriesof the cartridge-tubes in a group, and a cover for the tubes of suchgroup substantially as set forth.

3. A cartridge-holder for cartridge-belts havingaframe composed of sideportions each having hooks for engagement with the beltband and seatsfor the connection of the band for holding a short series ofcartridge-tubes in a group, the band connecting the side portions of theframe, the rod connecting said side portions at or near their upper endsand the flap-cover carried by said rod substantially as set forth.

4. In a cartridge-holder for cartridge-belts a holder-frame composed ofa length of wire bent forming the side portions and the connecting-rod,and each side portion to form the hooks for engaging the upper and loweredges of the belt-band and between said hooks to furnish the rods forsupporting the ends of the 1tribe-securing bands substantially as setfort Y 5. A cartridge-holder for cartridge-belts having side framesprovided each with upright portions and with short forwardly-projectingbranches supporting a short upright rod and the connecting-baud havingits ends rolled on said short upright rods substantially as set forth. I

6. A woven cartridge-belt having upon its outer side thedirectly-attached cartridgetubes, combined with means by which c0mparatively small numbers of such tubes are segregated into groups andthe tubes of such groups are held together and prevented from departingat the ends of the groups by the flexing of the belt, in use, and coversfor the groups of tubes, substantially as set forth.

7. A cartridge-belt having upon its outer side cartridge-tubes connecteddirectly with the belt, means embracing comparatively small numbers ofsaid tubes, for segregating such tubes into groups and for holding thetubes of each group together and preventing them from departing at theends of the groups by the flexing of the belt substantially as setforth.

8. A woven belt having upon its outer side integral wovencartridge-tubes combined with means by which to segregate the said tubesinto groups and for holding the tubes of the groups togethersubstantially as set forth.

9. An improvement in cartridge-belts having the cartridge-tubes on itsouter side, comprising holders fitted detachably to said belt andprovided each with means for securing a series of the cartridge-tubes ina group and with flaps or covers to extend over the said group of tubessubstantially as set forth.

10. A cartridge belt provided with cartridge-tubes connected directlywith the belt and with a series of comparatively short flaps or coversadapted to each cover a short series of tubes and with means forpositively retaining the tubes of each series in position to be coveredby the flap or cover corresponding to such series substantially as setforth.

11. The combination with a cartridge-belt of devices whereby sections ofthe same may be held comparatively straight and rigid, devices wherebythe groups of cartridge-tubes on the outer side of such sections of thebelt may be prevented from departing at their ends beyond their normalpositions when the belt is flexed as when it is applied in use, and acover for the cartridge-tubes upon the sections formed by said straightand rigid portions of the belt substantially as set forth.

12. A cartridge-retaining device for cartridge-belts consisting of aframe adapted for detachable connection with the belt, having means forholding a series of the cartridgetubes in a group, and a cover for thetubes of such group substantially as set forth.

EDWARD T. GIBSON.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM DOBSON, CHAS. M. ROBINSON.

